The Silver Light
by desert-dancer
Summary: “Hermione!” She looked up and saw her friends shoving through the crowd to reach her. “Where were you?” “Yeah, you just sort of disappeared.” “Did Malfoy bug you? Can we pound him to a pulp?” “No, Ron, to both questions!” “But…” “NO!”
1. 1

**Chapter One**

_**--**_

**Light**

**_-- -- -- --_**

The scenery flashed by as the Hogwarts Express sped across the countryside, though there wasn't much to see. The windows were black with the storm. Torrents of rain hammered against the glass, the pounding of water on the train nearly deafening.

It went unnoticed as students laughed in their compartments and ran up and down the train trying to find others they knew. The din that erupted put even the raging tempest outside to shame.

Harry and Ginny were flirting shamelessly, and Ron was stuffing his face, conveniently looking at everything but them. As the their conversations grew more and more boisterous, Hermione became more and more vexed. She tried hopelessly to concentrate on her book, but Ron kept tossing snacks at her and Ginny kept knocking into her whilst trying to escape from Harry, who apparently had taken to tickling the poor girl to death. The three watched as Hermione slammed her book shut and, without a word, left. After the compartment door shut, they all shrugged and went back to whatever it was they were doing.

Hermione made her way towards the back of the train. Progress was slow due to the crowds running this way and that, but when she finally reached her destination she was rewarded to find one compartment that no one was running in and out of. She opened the door and found it already occupied.

He didn't look up.

He didn't say a word.

He only continued reading the volume in his hand, eyes never leaving its pages.

"Um, may I sit here?" Hermione asked quietly.

The only response was a small nod.

Hermione sat down opposite the boy in the seat closest to the door, tucking her legs under her. She flipped open her book, but found herself studying the boy with whom she shared the quiet.

His hair was messy, like Harry's, though purposefully so. It was a dark shade of brown just bordering black. His long legs were stretched out resting on the seat across from him. One arm was propped up against the window, hand resting on his temple, only moving every once in a while to turn the page. He had already changed into his school uniform, but his house crest was hidden within the folds of his robes. Strands of hair fell over his eyes, hiding them from view, and the rest of his face was expressionless.

He seemed familiar, yet she couldn't put her finger on just who he was.

Hermione whipped around as the door burst open.

"Zabini, you in here?"

The all to familiar form of Draco Malfoy stepped in, without Crabbe or Goyle.

"A little reading club with the Mudblood? How cute." Malfoy's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Blaise Zabini continued reading, his words quiet, yet forceful.

"Pansy and Millicent are looking for you," he answered, "Though, 'hunting' seems to be the better word."

"Thanks," Zabini muttered.

Without marking his spot, he closed his book and set it aside. He reached for his neck and pulled out a thin chain on which was hanging a small charm. Before Hermione could get a better look at it, Blaise had enclosed it in his hand. His lips moved silently, as if chanting, eyes closed in concentration.

Hermione held back a gasp as the air began to shimmer with a bright silver light. More light was escaping from Blaise's hand. She could almost see the outline of the charm as it glowed from within Blaise's tight grip. She had to squint as the silver light solidified and formed a sort of net, a ward, around the compartment.

"Should you really have done that?" Draco asked, motioning towards Hermione, who was rubbing the spots from her eyes.

Blaise only shrugged, carefully tucking the charm back under his robes.

"Later."

Hermione looked up and noticed the net was still there; only it had dulled a bit, not so blinding anymore. As Draco left, she watched him walk right through it.

"Watch it Granger, don't want to choke on a fly," he said as the door slid shut.

She could hear the voices of the two Slytherin girls questioning Malfoy.

The door opened again and Pansy stuck her head in. She looked around for a minute then left.

"It's empty. Come on, Milly, let's try up front."

Once the footsteps faded, Hermione turned to face Blaise. She stared at him for a moment, noticing the charm didn't glow anymore, before finding her voice.

"What was that?"

He didn't look up from his book and answered absentmindedly, "A ward so that anyone coming in would only see an empty room."

"Not that. I mean the silver light."

For the first time, he turned to face her. He studied her as he unconsciously fingered the charm through his robes.

Hermione was suddenly shy under Blaise's scrutiny and turned her gaze away, feeling heat rising to her face.

He stood up, still staring. He turned away and paused at the door and said, "We're almost at Hogsmeade," and left.

Hermione, confused at first, then realized she still hadn't changed and rushed to pull on her robes. As she ran out to find Harry and Ron, the silver net disappeared. She turned, then quickly went back to the empty hall.

Deep in thought, Hermione ran over a few first years whilst not paying attention to the world around her.

"Hermione!"

She looked up and saw her friends shoving through the crowd to reach her.

"Where were you?"

"Yeah, you just sort of disappeared."

"Did Malfoy bug you? Can we pound him to a pulp?"

"No, Ron, to both questions!"

"But…"

"NO!"

All thoughts of Blaise Zabini and the silver light left her as she laughed with her friends and headed off to the castle.

**_-- -- -- --_**


	2. 2

**Chapter Two**

**_--_**

**Lineage**

_**-- -- -- --**_

He stood outside the compartment, waiting.

As she left, he took the ward down. He frowned slightly when he saw her look back. He watched as she greeted her friends and as they hurried away together.

Blaise went to a carriage where Draco, Pansy and Millicent were. He nudged Dracoas hetook his seat.

"Let's just go."

"What about Blaise? Shouldn't we wait?" Pansy inquired, looking towards the platform for the missing Slytherin boy.

"He'll be fine. Let's go," Draco repeated, somewhat impatiently.

Pansy wanted to continue arguing, but Millicent shook her head.

Once at the castle, the girls left whispering to each other, plotting more like, leaving Draco to walk a bit behind them, seemingly alone.

"What's this about?" he hissed, hoping no one would see him whispering randomly to thin air.

"Did you notice anything when I set up the ward?"

"Besides Granger staring at you like she'd never seen magic before, no."

Blaise retreated into his mind.

Only a few people turned to see Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini walk into the Great Hall, interrupting the Sorting. One of those few was Hermione. She watched them, justfor a moment, before turning back to the Sorting Ceremony.

Draco watched as Blaise subtly held his charm and caused the Sorting stool to float several inches about the ground. He was staring hard at Hermione.

Draco followed his gaze and saw her wince as the stool rose.

Blaise carefully watched as the girl covered her eyes. Again, he frowned.

The stool gracefully dropped back down and McGonagall continued, choosing to ignore the incident.

The last child came forward. McGonagall had to hold the trembling boy down so he wouldn't leap up and run out of the room.

The hat barely touched his head when it cried out, "SLYTHERIN!"

No one but the teachers clapped, and reluctantly at that. They all stared in shocked as they watch the boy walk towards the table uncertainly. Only Malfoy voiced what they were all thinking. "How the hell…"

---

Hermione felt the stares, but couldn't turn. The stool was glowing so bright that the spots had returned, dancing across her vision.

"You okay?"

She only nodded her head to answer Ron.

Hearing the stool hit the floor, she risked a look. The silver light was thinning until ithad evaporated completely. Hermione glanced towards the Slytherin table where the stares were coming from.

One averted his gaze acting as if he never looked; the other caught her eyes and bore into them as if looking into her very soul.

She couldn't look away.

She fought with herself, willing her head to turn back to the Sorting.

It didn't.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Blaise turned sharply, looking at the boy who had just become a member of his House, breaking his stare with Hermione.

Realizing she could move again, Hermione quickly turned away to watch the small boy scurry away from the stool.

Hermione was speechless as the small boy made his way to the Slytherin table. She heard Malfoy's comment, surprised to hear him voice her thoughts.

Harry turned to give her a questioning look, only to have the same confusion returned. He got the same response with Ron.

Dumbledore said a few words of welcome and, with a wave of his hand, the food appeared before them.

Ron, for once, forgot about his stomach in his shock, "Wasn't that kid a Muggle-born?"

_**-- -- -- --**_

**"Before I go insane,**

**Don't need you to explain,**

**Don't want your sympathy,**

**Gotta tell you finally,**

**Before you walk away,**

**There's something I need to say….**

**I didn't want you anyway." – Hearsay 'I didn't want you anyway'**


End file.
